In July of 2019 I, and 30 other students, are travelling to India where we'll be learning about poverty reduction, refugees and migration, and much more. It is a 17 day long trip where we'll be visiting the spectacular Golden Temple, Buddhist Monasteries and Hindu Temples, in order to learn about the Indian culture. We will also be supporting the Tong Len charity in order to reduce poverty and we will be taking a hike through the world-famous Himalayas!

During the first week of the trip, we will be visiting many different people who will present seminars that inform us more about their culture. This includes taking part in workshops and visiting schools of young Tibetan refugees and orphans, where we will take part in educational activities with the children whilst working to reduce poverty as we team up with the Tong Len Charity. Furthermore we will be building hostels and water systems in order to improve the lives of these young children. These are all incredibly valuable experiences that will teach us to appreciate our lives back at home, and furthermore, they are all immensely useful in informing us about how cultures differ around the world.

In the second week of the trip, we will be taking a 4 day camping trek through the Himalayas, where we will be walking for 6 hours a day, appreciating stunning views and camping under the stars. Each night we will have group discussions about our trip so far, and we will receive stories from our guides. This will be a memorable experience that'll let us appreciate the spectacular views of India!

At the beginning of the third week, we will return to Dharamsala to learn about meditation and mindfulness. We will visit the Tushita Meditation Centre where will will receive a practical session on meditation.

On our last day we will visit an organic farm where we will walk around a botanical garden and eat a locally-produced lunch, consisting of all different types of natural foods! This is a unique experience that'll teach us about agriculture from a different part of the world!

Lastly, we will return to Amritsar where we will visit the Golden Temple (one of the 7 wonders of India!). This will include an astonishing experience, where we will also make food to serve to the visiting Pilgrims as a final token of our service and appreciation, further letting us gain respect for people who may not have it as well as others do.

As a result of our involvement in the trip and the vast cultural education it provides us, we will receive the universities ASDAN award which will look great on any university application! Overall, this is a once in a lifetime trip that will undoubtedly create lifelong memories. This is a wonderful experience that not only provides the students involved in the trip with a higher knowledge of another culture, it also benefits the poverty-stricken people of India, as we will hopefully help to improve their well-being, whether its on a minor or grand scale. As a girl of Indian descent myself, I am very grateful to be able to experience such a trip, learning of my own culture, and providing Indian and Tibetan people with a better well-being, even if only for a short while . Any donations, whether small or large will be greatly appreciated, as I'm sure you'll agree, this is a trip that no-one keen to get involved in should miss out on!